Method of knitting patterned fabric



R M. JANDA ETAL 3,046,761

METHOD OF KNITTING PATTERNED FABRIC July 31, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 25, 1960 FLE E il'nited rates 3,046,761 NETHQD F KNETIINGPATTERNED FABRIC Richard M. Janda, Mount Penn, and James D. Meyer,Wyornissing, Pa, assignors to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa, acorporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 25, 1960, Ser. No. 17,626 17Claims. (Cl. 66-43) This invention relates generally to the art ofknitting and more particularly to weft knit tubular fabrics havingsuture joined pattern areas with an overplaid design incorporatedtherein and to a method of knitting such fabrics.

Heretofore, in forming tubular fabrics, such as stockings, havingoverplaid designs in suture joined diamond shaped pattern areas,generally referred to as Argyle or iutarsia patterns, on a circularknitting machine having four knitting stations, an opposite pair of thediamond shaped areas were knit of body yarns fed at an opposite pair ofthe knitting stations and at the same time the overplaid design was knitinto these diamond shaped areas of pairs of overplaid yarns at theintervening pair of knitting stations. At the completion of the firstpair of diamond areas the yarns were changed at the knitting stationsand the intervening pair of diamond shaped areas were knit of body yarnsat the intervening knitting stations and the continuing lines of theoverplaid design in these intervening diamond areas were knit ofoverplaid yarns at the first mentioned pair of knitting stations; Thischanging of yarns to form the continuing lines of the overplaid design,the yarn changes occurring at the sutures between the diamond areas, notonly caused a weak spot in the sutures but also caused a distortion inboth the lines of the overplaid design and the sutures 'of the diamondareas. Also, due to the limited number of yarn changes that could bemade at each of the knitdng'stations, the contrasting colors of both thediamond areas and the overplaid design was greatly limited and somedesirable overplaid design eifects, such as one in which the oppositespirally extending lines of the overplaid design are of differentcontrastingly colored yarns, could not be made.

In attempts to correct the defects in the fabric structure caused bychangin the overplaid yarns at the sutures be- I tween the diamond areasand to increase the range of the overplaid design effects that could beproduced in the above manner, it was proposed to bodily move eachoverplaid yarn back and forth between a pair of knitting stations, ormove each overplaid yarn between all four stations, and thus eliminatethe necessity of changing the overplaid yarns in the patterned area.However, the inclusion of means to move the same yarns between anadjacent pair or between all of the knitting stations in the mannerrequiredunduly complicates the machine and adds substantially to thecost thereof.

it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel method ofknitting tubular patterned fabric having an overplaid designincorporated therein, which overcomes the above mentioned and otherobjections to prior known methods of forming such patterned fabrics.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel method ofoperating a circular knitting machine having four knitting stations toknit tubular pattern fabric having an overplaid design incorporatedtherein wherein such yarn changes that are necessary in forming theoverplaid design are made at the center of the pattern areas.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel method ofknitting a tubular fabric having a plurality of suture joined patternareas and an overplaid design incorporated therein in which portions ofthe overplaid design in an adjacent pair of the pattern areas BfidhfifiiPatented July 31, 1962 ice are formed of the same overplaid yarn fedfrom the same yarn feeding station.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel method ofknitting tubular patterned fabric having an overplaid designincorporated therein on a multifeed circular knitting machine in which apattern area is formed at each of the feeding stations and an overplaiddesign is incorporated therein in part at the same feedingistation andin part at an adjacent feeding station.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novelmethod of knitting on a circular knitting machine having four knittingstations which includes knitting courses of an opposite pair of patternareas at an opposite pair of knitting stations during a first pair ofknitting strokes, knitting an overplaid design in the opposite pair ofpattern areas at the intervening pair of knitting stations during thefirst pair of knitting strokes, and knitting a further overplaid designin the opposite pair of pattern areas at the knitting stations at whichthey were formed during a second pair of knitting strokes in which anintervening pair of pattern areas is formed at the intervening knittingstations.

Another object is the provision of a novel method of knitting on acircular knitting machine having four knitting stations in which coursesof an opposite pair of pattern areas and an intervening pair of patternareas are formed at an opposite and an intervening pair of the knittingstations during alternate pairs of knitting strokes and in which anoverplaid design is incorporated'in the pairs of pattern areasin part atthe knitting stations at which they are knit during one pair of knittingstrokes and in part at an adjacent knitting station during an alternatepair of knitting strokes.

A further object is the provision of a novel method of reciprocatorilyknitting upon a knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stationsincluding operating the pairs of courses of the pattern area at thefirst mentioned knitting station during one of an intervening pair ofknitting strokes.

A still further object is the provision of a novel method ofreciprocatorily knitting upon a circular knitting machine having aplurality of knitting stations including operating the machine duringpairs of knitting strokes, knitting pairs of courses of a pattern areaat one of the knitting stations during alternate pairs of the knittingstrokes, knitting an overplaid design in one of the courses of thepattern area at an adjacent knitting station during one of the alternatestrokes of knitting, and knitting an overplaid design in the other ofthe pair of courses at the first mentioned knitting station during oneof an intervening pair of knitting strokes.

Another object is the provision of a method of reciprocatorily knittingupon a circular knitting machine having a plurality of knitting stationsincluding knitting pairs of courses of a first pattern area at a firstone of the knitting stations during alternate pairs of knitting strokesof the machine, knitting pairs of courses of a second pattern area at asecond one of the knitting stations during intervening pairs of knittingstrokes of the machine, knitting portions of an overplaid design of apair of design yarns in the first pattern area at the second knittingstation during the alternate knitting strokes, knitting other portionsof the overplaid design of a pair of design yarns in the 'pair ofpattern areas. diamond shaped areas are contiguous and are suture joinedintervening knitting strokes, and changing the pairs of design yarns atthe first and second knitting stations which knit the portions of theoverplaid design in the first pattern area, at the center thereof.

' 'With these and other objects in view which will become apparent fromthe following detailed. description of the illustrative embodiments ofthe invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention residesin the novel features of the present'method of knitting and in theproduct resulting therefrom, as hereinafter more particu-.

=larly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of one side of a stocking having a J 7 solid colordesign of the Argyle type and having an overplaid design incorporatedtherein in accordancewith'the instant invention;

7 FIG. 2 is a partial view of the opposite side of the stocking shownin'FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a plan view of the upper portion of the design area of thestocking of FIG. 1, the view showing the fabric opened along the frontcenter of the stocking and being turned 180 relative toFIG. 1 toillustrate the direction in which the fabric is knitted;

FIG. 4 is a view diagrammatically illustrating one 7 method of formingthe course structure of portions of the fabric of FIG. 3;

No.v 329,8O1 filed January 6, 1953, and in the corresponding BritishPatent No. 790,141 published February 5, 1958, hereinafter collectivelyreferred to as the Coile disclosure, to which reference maybe made. Thema- 7 chine of the Coile disclosure is adapted for both rotary andreciprocatory knitting and includes means for feeding a plurality ofyarns to selected groups of needles at each of four knitting stationswith certain of the needles selected at each stationalso being adaptedfor selection at adjacent ones of the other stations. v

In the machine of the Coile disclosure, stockings of the Argyle orintarsia type ornamented with solid color, suture joined, four sectiondiamond shaped pattern areas'may be knit by more than one method. Onesuch method includes the formation of a complete course made up ofsuture joined partial courses of each of the four sections, the fourpartial courses being knit simultaneously at the four knitting stations,numbered 1 to 4, during each reciprocatory stroke of the needlecylinder. In a second method the machine may be operated to knit anopposed pair of partial courses of an opposed pair of pattern areas 5 ata correspondingly opposed pair of stations, e.g. Nos.

1 and 3, while the other pair of stations Nos. 2 and 4 are inactive,during reciprocatory strokes of the machine. In this latter method,generally referred as the fill-in system of knitting, the opposed pairof pattern areas may be completed, or partially completed, at theirassociated pair of stations, after which the said pair of stations Nos.1 and 3 is J'made inactive and the previously inactive pair of stationsNos. 2 and 4 is'made active to knit the in-between It will be understoodthat the along their outlines in the manner set forth in said Coiledisclosure. The fill-in system of knitting is not limited to V theformation of diamond shaped areas and other solid color areas may alsobe knitted by changing the needle selection setup of the machine Itiswiththe fill-in system of solid color knitting that the method ofincorporating an overplaid design is herein described.

'pending application of Benjamin Franklin Coile, Serial Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the stock- 7 ing illustrated includes atop or welt 15, a leg portion 16 and afoot portion 17. The leg portionis ornamented with a diamond shaped Argyle pattern including an upperopposite pair of side half diamonds 20 and 21, an intermediate oppositepair of side diamonds '22 and 25,

a lower opposite pair of side half diamonds 26 and.27,;

a front and rear upper pair of diamondsjfiil and 31, and a front andrear lower pair of diamonds 32 and 35. Y The various diamonds, each of asolid color and of a'separateyarn, are joined along diagonally extendingsuture lines 34and are ornamented bylan overplaid design comprisingrelatively narrow lines of stitches of contrasting colored V yarns, theoverplaid lines generallydividing each diamond into a group of foursmaller diamonds.

The diamond shaped areas on the side ofrthe stocking shown in FIG. .1are provided with an overplaid design knit of overplaid yarns 36 and 37which start generally at'the center of the widest course of half diamond20 and diverge along diagonal lines each parallel to one of the sutures34, which define the lower edges of half diamond 2i) and adjoining edgesof diamonds 30 and 3 1, to intersect i The diverging diagonal? lines ofoverplaid then continue throughthe diamonds the. other suture at itscenter.

'30 and'3'1 to about the centers thereof, then continue along,converging lines to meet the :centers of sutures between these diamondsand the diamond 22.. The converging lines of overplaid then continuethroughthe upper'half of the diamond'22 to the center thereof afterwhich the overplaid design follows diverging lines through the lowerhalf of the diamond 22, through the diamonds 32 and 35 to about thecenters thereoff From the centers of the diamonds 32 and 35, theoverplaid lines formed by the yarns 36 and 37 again converge through thelower half of these diamonds and through the lower half diamond 26to'meet at about the center of the longest course of the half diamond26. I

In the same manner the diamond shaped areas on the side of the stockingshown in FIG. 2 are provided with an overplaid design knit of overplaidyarns. 40 and 41 I incorporated therein, during the knitting of thesediamonds. It will be noted that the lines of overplaid formed of theyarns 36 and 41 meetgenerally at thecenters of the diamonds 31 and 35and the lines formed of the yarn 37 and 4 3 meet generally at'thecenter's of the diamonds 3t) and 32. V

Heretofore, the'lines of overplaid formed of the yarns 36, 37 and 46, 41were unit in the various diamond shaped areas in the above describedmanner by the method set forth in Patent No. 2,919,565, issued January5, 1960.

According to the method of said Patent 2,919,565 the" opposite upperside half diamonds, the opposite lower side half diamonds and theopposite side full diamonds are knit at stations Nos. 2 and 4 ofsuitable body yarns f While at the same timethe pairs of overplaid yarnsare incorporated therein at stations Nos. '1 and 3. The front and rearupper and lower diamonds are knit at stations Nos. 1 and 3 of suitablebody yarns while the same pairs of overplaid yarns previously positionedat stations Nos. 1 and 3 are moved to the stations Nos. 2 and 4 forincorporation in the frontand rear diamonds. Thus the overplaid yarns ofthe pairs were bodily moved back and forth between the stations toprovide the overplaid lines a in the various pairs of diamonds to formthe full com plementof the diamond shaped areas required in thetubularstocking fabric.

The pairs of overplaid yarns were incorporated in the diamond areasgenerally in the manner disclosed in Patent No. 2,917,912, issuedDecember 22, 1959, that is during each pair of knitting strokes to formthe diamond areas, 7

one overplaid yarn of a pair is knit during one of the pair of strokesand the other'overplaid yarnof the pair is knit during the other of thepair of strokes.

In one method of knitting according to the instant invention a pair ofyarns are positioned at each of the knitting stations, Nos. 1. to 4, oneof the yarns of each pair being adapted to be knit a a body yarn at itsstation to form diamond shaped areas and the other yarn of the pairbeing adapted to be knit as an overplaid yarn at its station to formlines of overplaid in the diamond shaped areas as above set forth. Asshown in FIG.

3 which illustrates the upper part of the patterned leg at its stationand one finger 45 positioned at the right of the group at each stationbeing adapted to feed the yarn to knit the overplaid design in themanner hereinafter set forth.

For operating the pairs of fingers 44, 45 at each of the stations thefingers are initially moved from inactive to active position by patternmeans such as that shown in said Coile disclosure and the pairs'offingers 44 and 45 at the stations are then moved between active andinactive positions to feed their yarns by means and in the manner setforth in a co-pending application of James D. Moyer, Serial No. 861,842,filed December 24, 1959. According to said application Serial No.861,842 a finger such asfinger 44 for a body yarn is positioned to feedit yarn at each of stations 2 and 4 and a finger such as finger 45 foran overplaid yarn is positioned to feed its yarn at stations 1 and 3during alternate pairs of knitting strokes while the other fingers atthese station are in inactive positions. During the intervening pairs ofknitting strokes the position of the fingers are reversed at thetations, that is, fingers 44 are active and fingers 45 are inactive atstations 1 and 3 and fingers 45 are active and fingers 44 are inactiveat stations 2 and 4.

At the start of the knitting of the diamond areas, which is indicatedgenerally by a course 55 in FIGS. 3 and 4, the finger 44 at station No.2 i in feeding position to feed a body yarn 46 for the half diamond 20and the finger 45 for the overplaid yarn 37 at this station is ininactive position. The finger 44 at station No. 4 for a body yarn 47 isin feeding position to knit the half diamond 21 and the finger 45 forthe overplaid yarn 41 is in inactive position at this station. At thestations Nos. 1 and 3 the fingers 45 for the overplaid yarns 36 and 40are in active feeding position and the fingers 44 for body yarns 48 and49 for knitting the diamond 31 and 30 are in inactive positidn. Duringthe first stroke of a first pair of reciprocating strokes of theneedles, diagrammatically indicated at St) in FIGS. 6 to 11, with theneedles moving in the clockwise or reverse direction, all of the needlesfor the half diamonds 2t) and 21 are raised to take the body yarns 46and 47 to form a first course of these half diamonds and as the needlepass through stations Nos. 1 and 3 none of the needles are raised totake yarn at the latter stations. During the second stroke of the firstpair of strokes, which is in a counterclockwise or forward direction,indicated by the arrow in FlG. 6, selected ones of the groups of needleforming the half diamonds 2t? and 21 are raised at stations Nos. 1 and 3to take the overplaid yarns 36 and 4% at these stations and form acourse of the overplaid design in the half diamonds 2i) and 21 and asthe needles continue to move in the forward direction all of the needlesof the needle groups forming these half diamond are raised to take thebody yarns 46 and 47 at stations 2 and 4 to form a second course of thehalf diamonds 20 and 21.

During the next pair of knitting strokes, the positions of the yarnfingers are changed at the knitting stations, the fingers 44 for thebody yarns 48 and 49 are moved to knitting position at the stations 1and 3 and the finger 45 for the overplaid yarns 36 and 40 are moved toinactive positions atthese stations. At stations 2 and 4 the position ofthe yarn fingers are also changed so that the fingers 45 for theoverplaid yarns 37 and 41 are in active positions and the fingers 44 forthe main yarns 46 and 47 are in inactive positions. During the first ofthe next pair of strokes of the machine, which is in the reversedirection as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7 a course of the diamonds31 and 39* is formed at stations 1 and 3 and as the groups of needles onwhich the half diamonds 20 and 21 are formed pass through stations 2 and4, selected ones are raised at stations 2 and 4 to take the overlaidyarns 37 and 41 at the latter stations to form a course of the overplaiddesign in the half diamonds 20. and 21. Duringthe second stroke of thelatter pair of strokes of the machine the needles are raised to take thebody yarn at the stations Nos. 1 and 3 to form a second course of thediamonds 31 and 30, respectively, and none of the needles are raised atstations Nos. 2 and 4 to take the overplaid yarns at the latterstations. Subsequent full courses of the half diamonds 20 and 21 andpartial courses of the overplaid design in these half diamonds and fullcourses of the diamonds 31 and 30 are formed in a like manner throughoutthe portion of the fabric between the course 55 and a course 56 at whichpoint the diverging lines of overplaid design formed in the half diamond20 by the yarns 36 and 37 meets the sutures 34 between this half diamondand the diamonds 31 and 30, respectively, and the diverging lines of theoverplaid design formed in the half diamond 21 by the yarns 40 and 41meet the sutures between the half diamond 21 and the diamonds 3t and 31,respectively. It is to be noted that the courses between the courses 55and 56 in FIG. 4 represent only a few of the courses required in formingthe actual fabric. Also, the arrows shown in FIG. 4 indicate thedirection of knitting of the courses of diamonds and the overplaidcourses, the arrows pointing toward the right representing a reversestroke of knitting and those pointing toward the left representing aforward stroke of knitting.

At the course 56, the overplaid yarns 36, 37, 4t and 41 crossover thesutures and in subsequent courses continue along the same diagonal linesin the diamonds 3t) and 31 until yarns 37 and 40 meet at the front ofthe sock and yarns 36 and 41 meet at the rear of the sock generally in acourse 57 which extends approximately through the centers of thediamonds 3t and 31. In this portion of the fabric between courses 56'and 57 during the first stroke of knitting of a first pair of knittingstrokes, which is in the reverse direction, the needles are raised atstations Nos. 2 and 4 to take'the body yarns at these stations to form acourse of the half diamonds 20 and 21 and as the needles pass throughstations Nos. 1 and 3 they remain in lowered position to miss theoverplaid yarns 36 and 40. During the second or forward stroke of thefirst pair of strokes, which is in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 8,the needles are again raised at stations Nos. 2 and 4 to take yarns 46and 47 to form a course of the half diamonds 2t and 21 and'as theneedles pass through stations Nos. 1 and 3 selected ones are raised totake the overplaid yarns 36 and 40 at the latter stations to form acourse of the overplaid design in diamonds 31 and 30. During the firstof the next pair of knitting strokes, which i in the reverse directionas indicated by the arrow in FIG. 9, all of the needles of the group ofneedles forming the diamonds 31 and 343 are raised at stations Nos. 1and 3 to take the body yarns 48 and 49 at these stations to form acourse of diamonds 31 and 30 and as the e needles pas through stationsNos. 2 and 4, selected ones are raised to take the overplaid yarns 37and 41 at stations Nos. 2 and 4 to form a course of the overplaid designin the diamonds 31 and 30. In the second or forward stroke of thislatvter pair of strokes, the needle are raised at stations Nos.

stations Nos. 2 and 4. This sequence of operations continues until thecourse 57 is reached. 7 V

Atthe course 57, which i the approximate'centerof the diamonds 30 andfil the direction of'the diagonal lines of the overplaid design formedby the overplaid yarns 36, '37, '40 and 41 is reversed to extend alongconverging'lines in thesendiamonds. Course 57 3180 corresponds to thepoints at which the half diamonds 20 and Zlterminateand the fulldiamonds, 22 and 25 start. Following the course 57 during'the first orreverse stroke of the first pair of strokes, as indicated by thearrow inFIG. 10, the appropriate needles are raised to take the yarns 46 and 47at stationsNos. 2 and 4 to: forrn a course of the diarnonds 22 and 25and as the needles associated with the diamonds 31 and 30 pas throughstations Nos. .1 and 3, selected ones of the latter needles are raisedto take the overplaid yarns 36 and 40 at stations Nos. 1 and 3 to form acourse of the overplaid design in the diamonds 31 and 30. During thesecond or forward stroke of the firstpair of strokes, the appropriatencedlesare raised at stations Nos. 2 and 4 to take'the yarns-46 and 47to form a course of the diamonds 22 and 25 and all ofthe needles remainintlowered position as they pass through stations Nos..1 and 3. Duringthe first or reverse stroke of the'next pair of strokes, all of theneedles associated maining stitches of the body yarn are filledin at thesame station. y In the foregoing description at single feed finger hasbeen referred to at each-of the knitting stations forfeed- V 7 ing thebody yarn whereby vertically adjacent diamonds will be of the samecolor. However it will be understood that such diamonds may be made ofcontrasting colors through the use of a plurality of .fingers for thebody yarn at each station with a yarn change made at the juncture of thevertically adjacent diamonds all as described in said Coile disclosure.v

It will be recognized'while the overplaidllines knitted 1 into the"fabric as described'above actually are of zigzag formation theappearance given to the sock-is one of.

- 1-continuous spiral lines extending in one direction contrast in colorwith the continuous spirallines extending in the other direction. Theinstant invention readily lends-itwith the diamonds 31.and are raised atstations 1 and 3 to take the body yarns'48 and 49 and form a course ofthe diamonds 31 and 30 and all of these needles remain in lowered.position as they pass through stations Nos. 2 and 4.. During the secondor forward stroke-of the last mentioned pair-of strokes, indicated bythe arrow in FIG. 11, selected one of the group of needles associatedwith the diamonds 31 and 30 are raised at sta- I tions Nos. 2 and 4 totake the overplaid yarns 37 and 41 to form a course of the overplaiddesign in thesediamonds and all of the. needles of the groups associatedwith the diamonds 31and 31* are raised to take and knit [the yarns 48and 49 at the stations 1 and 3"to form a course of these diamonds. 'Ihissequence of operations continues until the course 58 is reached.

At about the course 58 the converging lines of the overplaid'designagain cross over the sutures between the diamonds and continue in thediamonds 22 and 25 'to meet at about a course 59 at the'center of thediamonds 62 and 25. From course 58 to course 59, the pairs of r coursesare knit in the same manner as in'the courses between the courses55 and56 except that the overplaid courses are'knit in the same direction asin the courses between courses 57 and 58, that is the overplaid yarns'36and 4! are knit in reverse strokes and'the overplaid yarns 3'7 and 41are knit in forward strokes.

In a modified form of the invention, as shown diagramyarns are knitduring knitting strokes in the same direction and at the same knittingstations as above set forth in connection With FIG. 4. However, incontrast to the method illustrated in FIG. 4 where the overplaid yarnsare knit as separate courses between a pair of courses of and knit thebody yarn at its station; The needles to knit the overplaid design andwhich did not take yarn during the knitting of the body area are thenraised to take and knit the overplaid yarn at the adjacent station.

'Where the stitches of the overplaid design are to be knit in a diamondarea during knitting of a body course of continuous spiral linesextending in opposite directions around the sock in the patterned area,the spiral lines intersecting at the centers of the diamonds.

at each of the knitting stations. If all of the overplaid yarns are ofthe same color the spiral effect is' rnain-' tained hutjthe overplaidpattern is of. course limited to a single color. It is desirable forcertain patterns that' the self to "suchconstruction. All thatisneces'sary: is the provision of 'two yarn feed fingers knitting twoyarns of contrasting colors at each of the knitting stations. At

the start of the knitting operation theyarns 4t and S6,

.f orexample, will be of onecolor and the yarns 41 and 37 of a second orcontrasting'oolor 'When knitting has rnatically in FIGS, the body yarnsand the overplaid V stituted for each other at the centers of thediamond" an adjacent diamond area, the appropriate needles are raised totake and knit stitches of the overplaid yarn at a station and during asubsequent knitting stroke, the reparting from the invention proceededto the course 57 (FIG. '3) yarn changes are made at stations Nos. land 3to substitute an overplaid Similar yarn changes are made a v at thestations Nos. 2 and 4 to substitute overplaid yarns yarn of the secondcolor.

ofthe firstcolor. When the course 55..is reached the overplaid yarnchanges are made at stations Nos. 1 and 3 to again feed yarns of thefirst color and yarn changes 7 are made at stations Nos. 2 and 4 toagain feed yarns of the second color, such operations continuingthroughout the patterned area.

spiral lines of the contrasting color even though the overplaid linesare actually knit of zigzag formation. It will be recognized that bymaking yarn points other effects may be obtained. g

It is believed to be obvious from the foregoing that,

employing the method of the instant invention an overplaid yarnassociated with each knitting station of a' multistation circularknitting machine is not only adapted to knit an overplaid design in aportion of-the diamond areas knit at the same station but is alsoadapted 1 to knit a continuation of the same overplaid design in aportion of the diamond areas knit at an adjacent station without makingyarn changes at the sutures of the diamond areas or without bodilymoving the overplaid yarn between the adjacent stations. Also, a pair ofoverplaidyarns associated with each knitting station may be knit m alike manner, the yarns at each station being subareas to form alternateportions of the overplaid design in the diamond areas knit at the samestation and at the adjacent stations, whereby the spiral lines of theoverplaid design extending in one direction areof a different characteror color than the spiral lines extending in the opposite direction.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and,

described by which the above results are obtained, can

be changed and modified in various ways Without deerein disclosed andherein- 7 after claimed.

We claim: I 1. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machinehaving four knitting stations and adapted to reciproca- In thefore'going description reference has been made to the use of only'single feedfingers feeding a single overplaid yarn g A patterned area knit insuchra manner will, as referred to above, give the appearance ofcontinuous spiral lines of one color crossing continuous changes atother torily knit at said stations, including the step of knitting afirst pair of oppositely disposed fabric areas at a first opposed pairof said knitting stations, the step of knitting an overplaid design ineach of said first pair of fabric areas at each of a second opposed pairof knitting stations, the step of knitting a second pair of oppositelydisposed fabric areas at said second opposed pair of knitting stations,and the step of knitting an overplaid design in each of said first pairof fabric areas at said first opposed pair of knitting stations.

2. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having fourknitting stations and adapted to knit at said stations during pairs ofre'ciprocatory strokes of said machine, including the step of knitting afirst opposed pair of fabric areas at a first opposed pair of saidstations during a first pair of said reciprocatory strokes, the step ofknitting a second opposed pair of fabric areas at the other opposed pairof said stations during a second pair of said reciprocatory strokes, thestep of knitting an overplaid design in said first opposed pair offabric areas at said other opposed pair of said stations during saidfirst pair of reciprocatory strokes, and the step of knitting anoverplaid design in said first opposed pair of fabric areas at saidfirst opposed pair of knitting stations during said second pair ofreciprocatory strokes.

3. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine havingfourknitting stations and adapted to knit as said stations during pairs ofreciprocatory strokes of said machine, including the step of knitting afirst opposed pair of fabric areas at a first opposed pair of saidstations during one of said pairs of reciprocatory strokes, the step ofknitting a second opposed pair of fabric areas at ano her opposed pairof said stations during another of said pairs of reciprocatory strokes,the step of knitting an overplaid design in said first opposed pair offabric areas at said other opposed pair of said stations during said oneof said pairs of reciprocatory strokes, and the step of knitting anoverplaid design in said first opposed pair of fabric areas at saidfirst opposed pair of said stations during said other pair ofreciprocatory strokes.

4. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having fourknitting stations and adapted to reciprocatorily knit at said stations,including the step of knit ing a pair of courses in each of a firstopposed pair of fabric areas at a first opposed pm'r of said stations,the step of knitting a pair of courses in each of a second opposed pa rof fabric areas at a second opposed pair of said stations, the step ofknitting a course of overplaid design in each of said second pair offabric areas at said second opposed pair of knitting stations duringknitting of said pair of courses in said first pair of fabric areas, andthe step of knitting a course of overplaid design in each of said secondpair of fabric areas at said first opposed pair of knitting stationsduring knitting of said pair of courses of said second pair of fabricareas.

5. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having fourknitting stations and adapted to reciprocatorily knit at said stations,including the step of knitting courses of a first opposed pair of fabricareas at a first opposed pair of knitting stations during a first pairof knitting strokes, the step of knitting courses of a second opposedpair of fabric areas at the other opposed pair of said stations during asecond pair of knitting strokes, the step of knitting a course ofoverplaid design in said first pair of fabric areas at said otheropposed pair of stations during one of said first pair of knittingstrokes, and the steps of knitting a course of overplaid design in saidfirst pair of fabric areas at said first opposed pair of stations duringone of said second pair of knitting strokes.

6. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having fourknitting stations and adapted to reciprocatorily knit at said stations,including the step of knitting courses of a first opposed pair of fabricareas at a first opposed pair of knitting stations during a first pairof knitting strokes, the step of knitting courses of a second opposedpair of fabric areas at the other opposed pair of knitting stationsduring a second pair of knitting strokes, the step "of knitting a courseof overplaid design in said first pair knitting pairs of courses of afirst opposed pair of fabric areas at a first opposed pair of saidstations during pairs of knitting strokes, the step of knitting pairs ofcourses of a second opposed pair of fabric areas at'the other opposedpair of staid stations during pairs of knitting strokes, the step ofknitting a course of overplaid design between the courses of a pairof-courses of said first opposed pair of fabric areas at said otheropposed pair of knitting stations, and the step of knitting a course ofoverplaid design between said pairs of courses of said first opposedpair of fabric areas at said first opposed pair of said stations.

8. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having fourknitting stations and adapted. to reciprocate to knit at said stationsincluding the step of-reciprocatorily knitting a yarn at each of a firstopposed pair of said stations and forming a pair of courses of each of afirst opposed pair of fabric areas, the step of knitting a design yarnat each of an intervening opposed pair of said stations and forming anoverplaid design course of said yarns in each of said first opposed pairof fabric areas, the step of reciprocatorily knitting a yarn at each ofsaid intervening opposed pair of said stations and forming a pair ofcourses of each of an intervening opposed pair of fabric areas, and thestep of knitting a design yarn at each of said first opposed pair ofsaid stations and forming a second overplaid design course of said lastmentioned design yarn in each of said first opposed pair of fabricareas.

9. A method according to claim 8 including the additional steps ofreciprocatorily knitting a yarn at each of said first opposed pair ofstations and forming a further pair of courses'of each of said firstopposed pair of fabric areas, knitting said design yarn at each of saidintervening opposed pair of said stations and forming an overplaiddesign course of said design yarn in each of said intervening opposedpair of fabric areas, knitting a yarn at each of said interveningopposed pair of stations and forming a further pair of courses of eachof said intervening opposed pair of fabric areas, and knitting saiddesign yarn at each of said first opposed pair of stations and formingan overplaid design course of said yarn in each of said interveningopposed pair of fabric areas.

10. A method of knitting on needles of a circular knitting machinehaving four knitting stations and adapted to reciprocate to knit at saidstations, including the step of reciprocatorily knitting a yarn onall'of the needles of a. group of needles at each of an opposed pair ofknitting stations and forming a pair of courses of each of a first pairof oppositely disposed fabric areas, the step of knitting a design yarnat each of an intervening pair of knitting stations on selected needlesof each of said needle groups and forming an overplaid design course ofsaid yarns in each of said first pair of fabric areas, the step ofknitting a yarn on all of the needles of another group at each of saidintervening pair of knitting stations and forming a pair of courses ofan intervening pair of oppositely disposed fabric areas, and the step ofknitting a design yarn at each of said first pair of knitting stationson selected ones of each of said first mentioned needle groups andforming a second overplaid design course of said yarns in each of saidfirst pair of fabric areas.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 including the additional steps ofknitting said design yarn at said inter- 1 1 ening pair of knittingstations on selected needles of said other -needle groups and forming anoverpiaid course of said design yarns in'said intervening pair of fabricareas and knitting said design yarns at said first pair of knittingstations on selected needles of said other needle groups and forming anoverplaid design coursein said intervening pair of fabric areas.

12. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having fourknitting stations and'adapted toreciprocatorily knit'at said stations,including the step of feeding a yarn to all of the needles of a group ofneedles at each of an opposed pair of knitting stationsand'simultaneou'sly forming a first course in each of a first opposedpair of fabric areasduring a reciprocatory knitting stroke in onedirection, the step ofnfeeding' a design yarn to selected needles ofsaid groupsof needles at each or" an intervening opposed pair ofknitting stations and simultaneously forming a course of said "designyarn in said first opposed pair of fabric areas during said knittingstroke in said one direction, the step of feeding said yarn to'allof'the needles of a group of needles at each of said opposed pairof'knitting stations and simultaneously :forming a second course in eachof said first opposed pair of fabric areas during a knitting stroke inan opposite direction, the stepof feeding a yarn to another group ofneedles "at each of said interevning opposed pair of knitting statiqnsand forming courses of an inten'ening opposed pair of fabric areasduring a pair ofknitting'strokes in opposite directions, and the step offeeding a second design 'yarn to selected needles of said first group ofneedles at each of said opposed of knitting stations andfforining acourse of said second design yarn'in said first opposed pair of fabricareas during one of said last mentioned pair of knitting strokes. V i

i 13. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having'aplurality of knitting stations and adapted to reciprocate to knit' atsaid stations including the step of recipro- 'catorily knitting coursesof a first opposed pair of'fabric areas at'afirst opposed pair ofknitting stations during a first pair of knitting strokes, the step ofknitting courses of a second opposed pair of fabric areas at a secondopposed pair of knitting stations during a second pair of knittingstrokes, the step of knitting stitches of an over- :plaid design in oneof said courses of said first opposed pair of fabric areas at saidsecond opposed pair of knitting stations during one of said first pairof knitting strokes, and the step of knitting stitches of said overplaiddesign in the other of said courses of said first opposed pair ofpattern areas at said first opposed pair of knitting stations during oneof said second pair of knitting strokes.

14. A method ofknitting on a circular knitting machine having aplurality of knitting stations, and adapted to reciprocate toknit atsaid stations including reciprocatorily knitting a yarn at a first oneof said stations and I forming a pair of courses ofa first fabric area,the step of knitting a design yarn at a second one of said stations andforming stitches of said design yarn in one of said pair of courses ofsaid first fabric areas, the step of reciprocatorily knitting a yarn atsaid second station and forming aj pair of courses of a secondfabricarea, and the step of knitting a design yarn at said first,station and forrning stitches of said design yarn in the other of saidpair of courses of said first, fabric area. 7

design 15. A method'of knitting on a circular knitting machine of asecond opposed pair of said stations, the step of knitting the other ofsaid pair; of yarns at each station or said first opposed pair ofstations and, forming an overpiaid design in the pattern areasknit'thereat, and the step of knitting said other yarn of said pair ateach station of said first opposed pair of stations and forming anoverplaid design in the, pattern area knit at an adjacent one of saidsecond opposed pair oflstations. 7

16. A method of knitting a circular knitting machine 7 having aplurality of knitting stations and adapted to center of the pattern areaformed at the same stationfto' reciprocatorily knit a separate pluralityof yarns at each station of said pluralityiof stations, including thestep of knitting a pattern area of one of said plurality of yarns ateach station'of a first opposed pair of said stations, the step ofknitting a pattern area of one of said-plurality ofyams at each stationof a second opposed pair of saidstations, and the step of knitting asecond one of said plurality of yarns at each station of said firstopposed pair of stations and forming an over-plaid design from the thecenter of the pattern area formed at aniadjacent one of said secondopposed pair of stations, a

17. A method of knitting on a circular knitting machine having aplurality of knitting stations and adaptedto reciprocatorily knit aplurality of yarns ateachstation of said plurality of stations,including the step of knitting a pattern area of at least one of saidplurality of yarns at each station" of afirst opposed pair of saidstations, the step-of knitting;

a pattern area of at least one of said plurality of yarns at eachstationof a second opposed pair or said stations, the

pattern areas knit at said stations-being suture joined to each other,the step of knitting a second one of said plurality of yarns at eachstation of said first opposed pair of stations and forming a portion ofan overplaid design, of-

said second yarn from the. center of the pattern area formed at the samestation to the center of the pattern area formed at an adjacent oneoftsaid second opposed 7 pair of stations, the step of substituting athird one of said plurality of yarns for said second yarn at each ofsaid first opposed pair of stations at the centers of the pattern areasformed at said second opposedpair of stations,"

and the step of knitting said third yarn at each of said first opposedpair of stations and forming a portion of said overplaid design of saidthird yarn from the center of the pattern area formed at the adjacentone of said second opposed pair of stations to the center of the patternarea formed at the same station. I

References Qited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,917,912

Levin Mar. 14, 19 1 Levin Dec. 22,1959

